


The lost city

by UrbaneSunset



Category: Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Good Peter Hale, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Scott is a Bad Friend, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-09-24 18:28:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9778982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UrbaneSunset/pseuds/UrbaneSunset
Summary: Stiles is a lonely Omega who had dedicated his life to proving his late grandpa right. When the mysterious Mr. Parrish offers him just that, Stiles jumps at the chance. Who knows what he'll find.





	1. The start of it all

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for tuning in! :) This is a story that just refused to be left alone. This is the first time I've even attempted at writing a fanfiction, so please bear with me. 
> 
> I do not own Teen Wolf or its characters.
> 
> This fic follows closely with the cannon movie until they arrive at Atlantis. I will try to add my own personal touches as much as possible before then to keep it interesting. Extremely slow burn as second half of pairing doesn't enter the story until a few chapters in. 
> 
> Please feel free to leave comments, constructive criticism, or even ideas about something you would like to read in the fic. 
> 
> Thanks again and enjoy!! :)

'Today's the day!' Stiles thought with cautious optimism as he rolled out of his bed on a sunny Wednesday morning. Today at 2:30PM, he was going to make his proposal to the Museum Board. Again. Only this time, he had a feeling he would succeed. He really would hate to let his grandfather down. Ever since he was a boy, Stiles has been obsessed with Atlantis, when his grandfather, John Stilinski, had first told him stories of its wonder.

Just like any other day, Stiles sat on the edge of his bed, willing himself to wake up. He was never really a morning person, and he knew deep down, he never will be. Struggling to wake up was sort of an oxymoron due to his raging ADHD, since his mind was normally running a mile a minute, it should be super easy for him to wake up right? Wrong! Eventually he found the energy to make his way towards the shower, mentally going over his presentation, washing himself more out of routine than focus.

Stepping out of the bathroom with a cloud of steam shifting around him, a towel around his waist and another that was currently being used to dry his hair, he glanced at his alarm clock on his dresser. "Shit!" he yelled, hair towel fluttering to the bathroom floor as he ran into his bedroom. He just realized he only had 20 minutes to get dressed and get to the opposite side of town for work. How did he always manage to zone out doing even the most mundane things?!

"Fuck!" he shouts as he manages to trip over his own two feet on his way into his walk in closet, saving his head from hitting the wall by mere inches. Throwing on his usual outfit of skinny jeans and his trusty red hoodie off of the hanger, he thinks of how that even after 22 years, he never quite got used to his long limbs.

After brushing his teeth, styling his hair and throwing on his shoes he now had 10 Min to get to work. He managed to make it out of his apartment building and to his car without hurting himself. Thank God for small miracles.  Stiles jumped into Roscoe, mentally preparing to try and turn his usual 15-minute commute into something under the 10 he had without being pulled over. Roscoe was his trusty powdered blue 1980 Jeep CJ5 and was all he had left of his late parents. Grandpa John had the Jeep given him when he'd come of age. Roscoe was his most prized possession and would literally sell everything he owned before he saw it in the hands of anyone else. But his jeep was not without its flaws as it has a mind of its own and the propensity to break down whenever it felt like it. Praying his baby wouldn't break down this morning, he reversed out of the parking lot, racing the clock to work.

Stiles pulled into the parking lot with a few minutes to spare and he may or may not have left a few tire tracks at the entrance by the curb. Turning off his Jeep and stepping out of his vehicle, he wondered why he rushed at all... it's not like anyone is going to pay attention to the "crazy Omega who's obsessed with Atlantis."

Sometimes he really hated how close-minded his world was. But that was the way it was ever since humans had evolved into something “greater,” the conservatives have only managed to become more close-minded, even though scientists have said numerous times that your Dynamic does not make you stronger or weaker than anyone else. Not that the Alphas listened. Shocking. Betas were always somewhere in the middle, Stiles had noticed that their views on Omega Rights tended to be a result on how they were raised or chose their Mates.

Shaking his head trying to clear all thoughts on his government, Stiles made his way to "office." Still, he couldn't help but feel slightly irritated at anyone who told him presenting as an Omega was a blessing, when they were treated like second class citizens. To make things worse, he was a male Omega, which hasn't happened for centuries, with the last known male Omega having lived in 1864 (a little over 150 years ago.) Don’t get him wrong, he didn’t have a problem with being an Omega, it was just sometimes his Dynamic made life hard. His Heats were the hardest and he still had trouble coming to grips with them. But that was a problem for another day (more like a few months from now.) Pocketing his car keys, he made his way inside of the building, finally declaring he was late enough since his boss was strongly pro-Alpha. Walking down the corridor his thoughts shifted to the times his late Grandpa John had told him about, times where Omegas were all but worshiped.

With a sigh, Stiles finally came back to reality when he reached the door to his office. Walking in, perspiration instantly appeared on the back of his neck. As he adjusted his glasses, he silently congratulated himself on remembering to put fresh rags in his desk drawer. Coming to his desk he set his coat on the back of his desk chair and set his briefcase on the floor next to it. Wiping the back of his neck with a rag, he glanced around his "office" (which was more of a boiler/storage room than anything else,) he spotted his chalkboard. With a grin, he walked towards it.

His work load was practically nonexistent, since his employment was more so for the museum to claim “diversity” to get more funding from the government than anything else. Stiles assumed he should be happy (“Grateful” as Mr. Harris had called it) that he had a job at all. Not many places would even consider hiring an Omega for a position higher than a secretary or janitor. Deciding not to go down that depressing path this early in the morning, Stiles decided to go over his presentation one last time before his appointment, even though he all but had it memorized. At this point it was more for fun than a necessity. Never one to do things normally, he turned his gaze once again towards the room, looking for things for his mock-presentation. Within minutes he had set up his chalkboard across from the "board members," who in this instance were being portrayed by a few spare teaching skeletons dressed in spare clothes. He had also managed to find an old podium, which only served to stroke his ego a bit. ‘it’s more fun this way’ he thought as he pushed one last time to put it where he wanted.

On one hand, putting this whole charade together did wonders for his ADHD. On the other, moving heavy ass objects in a boiler room was not recommended. Wiping the sweat from his brow, once again, he admired his setup before walking back towards his desk. There he removed his hoodie, trying to cool himself down before beginning. Thoughts once again turning to Grandpa John. Determination to make his grandfather proud setting in, he rose from his chair. Once at the podium, he took a deep breath and began.

"...And that is why I am applying for this grant, I want to put together a team to go to Iceland to recover the journal. To be one step closer to the rediscovery of Atlantis" he finished. He then glanced at the clock noting that it was only 10 AM. 'Might as well get some actual work done' he thought as he trudged back to his desk, quickly losing enthusiasm by simply thinking of the monotony that awaited him, since his work was more of a formality than anything else.

After a few boring hours of staring at an extremely outdated computer screen, Stiles sighed, mentally patting himself on the back for staying on task and not researching random things on Google. He rubbed his eyes till he saw white dots and other floating designs and then proceeded to push his glasses up the length of his nose once again. 'I must remember to get these tightened ' he thought irritated. Noticing that his usual fidgeting had only worsened with his nervousness to make Grandpa John proud, Stiles found himself wishing that he'd taken his Adderall this morning. Looking at the clock he noticed it was only 1 o'clock. Banging his head on the desk, desperate for anything stimulating. Having nothing else to do, the Omega decided to run through his presentation once more.  
"... So, that suggests that the text was incorrectly translated and the journal is not in Ireland..." 'pause for affect' he thought "...but in Iceland! Furthermore -" Stiles was abruptly interrupted by the shrill sound of the ancient rotary phone ringing on his desk.

He sighed irritably at having been interrupted while he was on a role. Setting down the Viking shield, a presentation aid, he stepped down from the podium. Once he was sure that it wouldn’t tip over, he strolled to the phone on the other side of the room. Basically, doing everything in his power to avoid this phone call, wanting to avoid the dullness it was sure to inspire.

"Hello?" he greeted.

"Mr. Stilinski?" the voice said, vaguely familiar.

"Speaking, how can I help you?" he replied politely, knowing it was going to be a heating issue, he repressed his annoyance. His grandpa raised him better than that.

"Fantastic! This is Kira from Administration, for a second there, I wondered if I had the right number, but then again, this is the only number for the basement. I wonder why phones need numbers at all, personally I always preferred face-to-face interactions. That’s why I became a receptionist, I get to meet new peo-"

"Sorry to interrupt, but was there something I could help you with?" he stopped her, pushing his glasses up his face. Knowing her, if he didn’t stop her now, she'd be at it for hours and he really wanted to finish his last run through, even if he was slightly impressed that she managed all of that in one breath.

"Oh Yeah! Sorry... I guess I tend to ramble sometimes. My father still calls me his little Chatter Monk-" Stiles cleared his throat. "Oh sorry, again, I just wanted to ask if there was anything you could do about the heat here in the office..." she responded in her own carefree way not at all deterred because he cut her off.

"One second..." Setting down the receiver and pushing his hair out of his eyes, mentally reminding himself to get a haircut soon and longing for the simpler days he sported his buzz cut, he walked over to the massive boiler. He knew exactly how to fix Kira's problem, especially since this wasn’t the first time this happened. He's been working in the boiler room for two years now and since it breaks down quite frequently, he'd considered himself somewhat of an expert on all things “boiler.”

Twisting three of the seven knobs just right in the correct order and then hitting it on the left side with the wrench on a string, the boiler once again sprang to life. He mentally berated himself for not noticing that it stopped working in the first place. Still, he waltzed back to the phone feeling like the world’s best engineer, even though the rational part of him acknowledged that all he had done was turn some knobs.

"Better?" he questioned.

"Yes, it does seem to be working now. Thank you so much! You truly are a saint." the effervescent woman declared slightly distant. Most likely holding her hands above the heater was his best guess.

"Not a problem. Have a good one." he replied as he set the phone back on the hook.

With that interruption over, he slipped on his hoodie before he once again went back to his "presentation." Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth, but before he could say anything he was once again cut short! This time by the mail chute.

With the deepest sigh he's ever taken, Stiles ran a hand through his hair while making his way to the mail chute which was next to the stairs. ‘Does the museum even know that its 2016 and not the 70’s?’ he thought as he looked at the ancient communication system. Grabbing the tube, the Omega adjusted his glasses to read the letter.

 

      ** _"Dear Mr. Stilinski, we regret to inform you that we have moved your allotted appointment time from 2:30 PM to 1:00 PM. Since you have failed to arrive in a timely manner, we have no choice but declare the meeting adjourned. Good day."_**

       _ **Mr. Harris' Office**_

  
Panic stricken, he whipped his head to the clock, noticing that it was almost 1:50!!

'Fuck! There's no way they'd still be there... I have try anyway!' he deliberated with himself.

Throwing his most necessary props into his arms, the determined Omega ran up the basement stairs heading towards the conference rooms. Trying his best to keep most of the wayward papers from falling out of his pile, not having time to stop and grab the ones that managed to escape. He silently prayed that they weren’t vital to his presentation…if he was still allowed to present it that is.

Rounding the corner, only managing to lose a few more papers, Stiles saw a few of the board members dive into random rooms just to avoid having to interact with him, even if it was to turn him down. 'Fucking cowards' he thought looking for the weakest link of the group. Luckily Mr. Harris was too slow, as his fat little legs couldn't move his large mass that quickly. ‘kind of ironic that someone who considered himself to be the Alpha of all Alphas had what was probably the worst diet and exercise regimen of all time’ was the wayward thought that flew through his mind when he decided to choose Harris as his target. It was obviously clear when the Alpha gave up trying to flee Stiles and just headed to the door, choosing to completely ignore the Omega entirely, just like any other day.

Running after him, determined look set on his face, the young man managed to catch up to Mr. Harris, right as he made it to his Hummer. 'Seriously! Who still drives these?!' Stiles thought distractedly.

"Mr. Harris! Please just hear my pl-" the Omega started.

"I refuse to listen to another ridiculous presentation about a fictitious place meant for children." Harris cut in in a way only an Alpha can.

"But it exists! Please! Please, just listen to my evidence!" Stiles knew he was begging, but all he could think about was his grandfather’s legacy. He was starting to panic. He couldn’t let him down, he had to do everything in his power to clear his grandfather’s name.

"I won't! And don’t think of petitioning the board with this absurd theory again! We all have better things to do than listen to your dribble" Harris said climbing into his car and starting his douche-mobile. "Good day Mr. Stilinski." was the last thing he said before backing out of the parking space leaving Stiles with only a stunned feeling.

That sensation quickly dissipated, rapidly being replaced with a sense of purpose. In a moment of rashness, Stiles jumped onto the hood of the Hummer without a second thought. Shoving a piece of paper onto the windshield, as if he’s expecting Harris to read the document while driving. "I didn't want to have to do this, but you give me no choice! I QUIT!!" the young man exclaimed. He sent up a silent prayer that it was the right piece of paper and not just a page from his presentation outline.  

The Alpha abruptly slammed on his breaks, more out of surprise than anything, forcing Stiles to roll off his hood and onto the side of the road, quickly racking up plenty of cuts across most of his upper body but, Stiles thought he may have a pretty bad cut on his on his right cheek.

Rolling down his window, the Board Member pulled up next to Stiles as he was getting back on his feet. "Don't be rash, Mr. Stilinski... Don't follow in your crazy grandfather’s footprints. Plus, let’s be honest, there is nowhere else that is going to be nice enough to hire an Omega, let alone a male Omega, into a decent enough position like we have" Harris sighed. "You know my stance on Omegas, but as a person, I would say you have potential. I would hate to see whatever small amount that you do possess go to waste. Plus, you are extremely useful to the museum and I would hate to see all that funding go away. Give into your instincts and listen to the words of an Alpha, let this ridiculous dream of yours go. Lord knows good Omegas are only good for doing what they're told." he finished with a sneer and a laugh before peeling out of the parking lot, narrowly missing Stiles' foot.

Standing there stunted and bleeding from his scrapes, with the rest of his paper work scattered around him. He had no idea how long he stood there, hours? Minutes? He only managed to snap out of it when a few of the other board members, who were only brave enough to leave now that Harris had spoken to him, drove past him in their equally pretentious cars, completely avoiding his gaze. They all possessed the same regard for him as Mr. Harris did. Figures.

'Maybe he's right' he resigned with a wince as he trudged towards Roscoe, leaving his papers where they lay. Never looking back. Thanking himself for keeping his personal items constantly on his person, and that he remembered to put his hoodie back on when he went over the presentation the second time. Stiles started his Jeep with a dejected sigh, and made his way back to his apartment.

He doesn't remember the drive, he’s just glad he made it safely. All he knows is that he was in the museum parking lot and now he's in his apartment... and wet?! He glanced out the window. 'When did it start raining?' he thought as he absentmindedly removed his phone, keys, and wallet from his pants pockets, setting them on the table to the right of the door. He then removed his drenched but trusty hoodie, with a few flinches from his wounds, placing it on the hook to the left of the table. Removing his shoes was more of a hassle, as he had to bend over to untie them, which only served to exacerbate his wounds further. Once he finally managed to get them off, he left them by the door to dry. His socks squelched as he walked further into his apartment, leaving watery footprints in his wake. He made his way towards his bathroom, wanting nothing more than to warm up and wash the blood from his face, but stopped when a flash of lightning illuminated his living room as he was passing through.

'Did I just see that?' he pondered as panic set in for the second time that day making him completely forget about the blood that was currently making his face itch. Slowly turning around, he scanned his living room with squinted his eyes. Sure enough there was a thin woman with blonde hair casually sitting in his armchair as if she owns the place.

"Who are you and why are you in my apartment?! He said, trying desperately to keep his fear out of his voice. He barely remembers to discreetly scent the air. He could mostly smell himself and the usual smells of his apartment but the outlying smell was one of an Alpha. His fear level instantly turned on to Defcon 1. There’s only one reason why an Alpha would break into his apartment. He stood there paralyzed with fear, mind going through all the articles he’s read about Omegas that were attacked by Alphas who couldn’t keep their instincts in check, even when the Omega wasn’t in heat.

"Relax Omega, there's no dander to you here," she responded in a way that he's pretty sure she thought was soothing, but just came off even more cryptic. Leaning back in the chair and placing her feet on the ottoman as if it were her apartment and he were the intruder. At that exact moment that there was another flash of lightning, she added rather ominously with the creepiest smile known to man "My name is Kate Argent, and I'm here to deliver you to Mr. Parrish..."


	2. As Fate Would Have It...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles finially meets the mysterious Mr. Parrish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for reading, I really do appreciate it! I encourage everyone to leave kudos or comments below. Once again, I don't own any of these characters.

There was a deafening silence that lasted for a few minutes as Stiles struggled to comprehend the vaguely threatening answer that this so called "Kate" person had just given him. Okay, who was he kidding?! It was totally threatening! Questions swirled through his head so fast, it made him slightly dizzy. Questions like: ‘who was Mr. Parrish?’ ‘why did that name sound familiar?’ ‘And what did he want with me? I’m just a lowly Omega, a terrible one at that!’

“The hell you are!” he replied when his mouth had decided to work again. Truthfully, he was terrified. However, he was proud of himself for keeping his voice from cracking, but was disappointed in how his scent betrayed him. He assumed he wasn't looking much better, with his hair dripping water into his eyes and his clothes forming a small puddle of water on the floor around him. 'I probably look closer to a drowning rat, than someone who could handle themselves' he thought self deprecatingly. 

His natural scent was a mixture of brown sugar and vanilla, almost like freshly baked cookies. One of the consequences of being an Omega, you smelled pleasant to everyone, whether you wanted to or not. Emotions tended to alter your smell a bit, so it was no surprise that the air had an acrid hint to it, almost like that of burned cookies.

 “As I have said, there is no need to be afraid, Mr. Stilinski. But I do have orders to deliver you to my employer.” The stranger said in response to his scent change. For some reason that made him even more nervous, there was just something about her that unsettled him. Almost like some basic instinct was telling him not to trust her. But then again, who _would_ trust someone who broke into their apartment? In the middle of a thunderstorm no less.  Especially when they were demanding to take them to someone he may or may not know?

“Look lady, I don-” Stiles started.

“Kate” she interrupted, her face annoyed and her tone slightly irritated. Almost like she was offended that a lowly Omega would dare to insult her by calling her anything other than that of her given name.

Stiles rolled his light brown eyes at her. “Whatever. Look, I don’t know you or your so-called employer. Therefore, I am going nowhere with you. So, I suggest that you return from wherever the hell it was you came from, before I call the police.” he said, growing ever more confident as he slowly backed into the hall where he had left his phone on the table by the door, praying she didn't noticed the slight squishing noised coming from his socks. 

“I’m afraid you don’t really have a choice.” She said with a ominous smile that was seriously giving Stiles the creeps. “What Mr. Parrish wants, he gets.” She stated matter-of-factly. His instincts were raging, telling him that he really shouldn’t trust a word she said. Something about her felt off. Trouble was, he just couldn’t pin point exactly what it was. “Now be a good little Omega and do what you’re told!” she all but shouted at him. Her patience clearly having run out, her scent taking on hints of something bitter.

Her comment angered Stiles beyond belief, the air filling with the scent of spice. ‘How _dare_ she spout racist stereotypes at me’ he fumed.

“Look _lady_! I don’t know who you think I am, but I am not someone who lets others walk over them, nor am I what people call a “traditional” Omega! Now, I’ve had a very trying day and I will not hesitate to try and attack you, if you so much as try to underestimate me again. So, for the last fucking time, get the hell out of my apartment!” His anger was so intense that as his speech went on the louder he got. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew he was going to have a noise complaint coming his way.

“Ah yes! The museum has rejected your proposition once again haven’t they?” she asked in a knowing tone, completely ignoring his outburst. She still even sat in the chair, making it perfectly clear that she had no intention of going anywhere. Stiles suddenly thought that she was used to getting her way. Well, not today!

“How did you know about that?” he asked.

“Mr. Parrish has eyes everywhere, he’s been keeping tabs on you Mr. Stilinski. Ever since John had died. Now everything is complete and your presence is now needed.” Came her ever cryptic reply, and as if she had planned it, more lightning flashed. A loud clap of thunder not far behind.

His curiosity was quickly getting the better of him. Against his own judgment, he asked “what’s nearly complete? What does my grandfather have to do with this? And what does it have to do with me?”

“Mr. Parrish can answer all your questions, but that means you have to come with me.” She said with a knowing smile.  

There was another lengthy pause as Stiles deliberated with himself. On one hand Stiles was incredibly curious by nature. Ever since he could remember, he would always research things that one would never even think of wanting to learn about. Ranging from the mating rituals of caterpillars to life before Dynamics came into play.

On the other hand, this woman was bat-shit crazy! He could think of a hundred different ways that she could have approached him, starting with her not breaking into his apartment in the middle of a thunderstorm. Obviously she had a few loose screws. And Stiles couldn’t help but think that she only let people see what she wanted them to. There was no way he would ever consider going anywhere with this woman.

Except, he was. Stiles knew he was going to go with her. His curiosity far outweighing his fear of the unknown or even his weariness of the female across the room. The only question now, was how was he going to do that without making himself seem too eager?

Turned out, Stiles didn’t have to worry about it. The second he made up his mind, Kate’s smile turned into something warmer almost kind.

“See, that wasn’t too hard, was it?” She questioned as she finally stood up making Stiles notice that she was wearing a feather boa over her otherwise normal period clothing. She was tall and thin but could obviously handle herself in a fight if her toned frame was anything to go by. The Omega was suddenly very happy that it hadn’t resorted to violence, knowing damn well he would have had his ass handed to him.

“Follow me.” She instructed as she walked towards the door, her no doubt expensive high heels clicking on the linoleum as she walked out his door never sparing him a second glance.

Stiles scrambled into action. Running into his closet to grab a dry set of socks and shoes and another hoodie, managing to only trip over his feet twice. This time he decided to sport his blue hoodie. He took a few moments to adjust his glasses and wipe away the water that had dripped into his face during the conversation. And with a huge sigh, he ran out the door, barely remembering to grab his belonging off of the table. Absently remembering to shut the door properly before running to catch up to the woman who would lead him to this mysterious Parrish.

 

* * *

 

The drive was surprisingly short and they ended up a few blocks away from the Museum in the business district. The location only serving to remind Stiles of when Kate told him that Mr. Parrish has been watching him for a while. The building was tall, but not quite a skyscraper, but it gave off an air of superiority.

Kate parked the Mercedes on the curb in front of the entrance. They both stepped out of the car, heading inside at a half jog to avoid as much rain as possible. Kate locked the car from just inside the entrance, leaving Stiles a bit jealous. His scent turn slightly salty, as he found himself wishing that Roscoe had perks like that. They made their way further into the posh foyer that housed furniture more expensive than Stiles could ever dream to afford.

After shaking off the last of the rain on their clothes, they stepped into an ornate elevator. Kate pressed the button for the executive level, punching in a code on a number pad under the floor options, to confirm her clearance as the doors slid closed. Being in an elevator alone with an Alpha did not leave him with a comforting feeling. The ride up to the twelfth floor was tense with the air suffocating them both with the acidic scent of his nervousness mixing with the smell of coconuts betraying her smugness.

“Listen closely, because I refuse to repeat myself." She paused to make sure he was paying attention.  "Mr. Parrish will not be what you expect, never the less, don’t stare, don’t ask questions, don’t do anything without his express permission, and always remember to keep your responses clear and concise. Do you understand?” She asked, the question clearly rhetorical. Finally eyeing his terrified expression, she added “Relax. He doesn’t bite…Much.” She instructed him and they lapsed back into uncomfortable silence once more.

The lift finally signaled that they arrived just when he thought he couldn’t take it any longer. The metal doors gliding open to reveal a floor that had a total different atmosphere than the lobby. Where the lobby, and what Stiles could only assume was the rest of the building, had such a minimalistic feel it almost felt clinical, this room had more of a personal feel to it. Sort of like Parrish spent a lot of time in this space. There was just something about it that left the Omega with the feeling of home. Completely entranced by the feeling of nostalgia he stepped forward, working on autopilot.

Stiles shifted his gaze from left to right as he walked out of the elevator, eyes landing on pictures of his grandfather and a strange man again and again. There were various artifacts from so many cultures, even some that were long dead. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Stiles noticed that Kate hadn’t exited the lift with him and he was now standing alone. He spent a few moments unsure of what to do next, before he slowly walked around taking in all the splendor, his scent taking on floral undertones. His head slowly clearing, he could pick out the smell the was distinctly Beta. Always curious, the Omega rounded the corner and was greeted with a most unexpected sight.

On a blue yoga mat with his back to Stiles, facing the fireplace completely naked was a frail old man. He was so old, Stiles was worried for a second at the difficulty of the yoga pose he was in, before he noticed the state of his undress. “Oh, my God!” he shouted, quickly spinning around to give the old man a sense of privacy.

“No need to be shy dear boy, its nothing you don’t have.” The old timer said with a chuckle, his amusement making the air smell almost like cotton candy. “Never the less, I can see you’re uncomfortable, good thing I was going through my cool down routine.” His voice was moving father away and became slightly muffled. Not long after there was the telltale sound of clothes shifting.

Refusing to make it more awkward than it was by listening to him change, Stiles continued to look around the room, purposefully tuning out the sounds. The room was so large, you had to strain yourself to hear the thunderstorm that was raging outside. He quickly spotted a large ornate framed portrait of the old man, who can only be Parrish, and his late grandfather together in a friendly embrace, almost like that of brothers. ‘Is that why he felt comfortable here? Why can’t he remember Parrish? Why was he here now? What is this about? he pondered. So many questions floated around in his head.

“That’s me and ol’ John almost ten years ago,” The old man offered when he appeared from behind the changing screen, startling the Omega. He was now completely dressed in an all white  three piece suit that looked so expensive, Stiles could only hope to afford it in his dreams. “My name is Jordan Parrish. You most likely don't remember me, but you used to spend quite some time here in my office playing while your grandfather and I went over notes and planned expeditions.  Your grandpa and I were old friends, met on one of his expeditions and were close until the end of his days. He was very fond of you, you know.”

'Huh. Answers that question.' he thought. But Stiles was rapidly growing tired with all the secrets and mysteriousness of it all. “Is there a reason why I’m here Mr. Parrish? I’ve had a rather long day, and I’d like to be at home researching useless topics over a pack of Reese’s.

With a sigh, Parrish pointed across the way towards a table with a strangely wrapped package on it.

“Your grandfather left this for you, told me to give it to you when the time was right, whatever that means.” the old man told him, sensing his irritation.

Stiles had made his way towards the parcel as the Beta was talking, but he froze when he saw his grandfather’s writing on the front of the wrapping. _‘To my beloved Stiles, from Grandpa John.’_ With tears stinging his eyes and threatening to spill over, the Omega reached out with an unsteady hand to tug at the string holding the wrapping together. With a deep breath, he pulled the string and pushed at the packaging. Once he saw the content he couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.

Inside was a heavy tome that looked like it was made many centuries ago. The book had a diamond shape in the middle and an ancient symbol from a language long forgotten on the front. It was not hard at all for Stiles to recognize the book he held in his hands. Turning it over in a reverential manner, Stiles couldn’t help but wonder how his grandfather had gotten his hands on it. Or when.

“Do you know what this is?” the Omega asked breathlessly, holding the book up gingerly for the old man to see.

“Something that means way more to you than it ever will to me.” He responded.

“This is the Sheppard’s Journal! It’s the very key to finding the lost city of Atlantis! The very contents hold its lost language and technologies! Oh, just imagine what I could learn from this alone! I am one step closer to proving Grandpa John right. How did he ever get his hands on it?! he said, voice filled with awe, paging through book with veneration. “Look at these symbols and maps, absolutely magnificent!”

“That looks like total gibberish! How could you possibly read that?” Parrish said peering over Stiles’ shoulder briefly before heading to an adjoining room. Stiles following absentmindedly behind him, focusing more on the journal than anything else.

They ended up in a dimly lit library. Surprisingly, that wasn’t the focus of the room. There was the largest fish tank Stiles had ever seen. Inside was all kinds of fish ranging in size and color. It was here where the Beta decided to continue the conversation as he sat in one of the two plush oversized chairs  on either side of a table located in front of the fish tank.

Chuckling, the young man replied “It’s not gibberish at all, it’s an ancient language that has long been lost. Very few can read it, myself included. I have been teaching myself these languages ever since I became obsessed with Atlantis.”

“Either way,  the journal must be fake, there’s no such thing as Atlantis” the Beta challenged.

“No. There’s no way this is fake, my grandfather would have noticed before he gave it to me. Trust me, I would have noticed. I would stake everything I own on this.” He declared passionately, but he was ever curious. "Do you know where he found this anyway?” He asked hesitantly.

“I believe it was Iceland”

“I was right! I was petitioning the Museum Board just this morning to put together a crew to find the journal.” Stiles cried excitedly, his scent turning to something sour as he recalled the events of this morning. "Although, I wouldn't quite call this morning successful." 

“Ah yes, the Museum.” Parrish said regretfully. “So, what do you want to do with it?” he asked, gesturing towards the book.

“I’ll take it to the Board, with this as evidence, there’s no way they can turn me down!” Stiles said halfheartedly. Not fully believing it himself.

“They’ll never believe you, no matter how much evidence you have. They’re just a group of Alpha elitists who fear the unknown.” Parrish reasoned, his words mirroring his thoughts.

“Doesn’t matter, I’ll make them believe.” Stiles was nothing if he wasn't stubborn.

“Like you did today?” The old man said skeptically.

“Yes… Uhh...NO!” the Omega answered flustered. “It doesn’t matter, I’ll find Atlantis on my own, even if I have to rent a row boat and scuba gear!” he declared.

“GREAT!! For a second there I thought I lost you, but that was exactly what I wanted to hear!” Parrish exclaimed, scent taking on a hint of coconut.

‘What’s he so smug about’ Stiles thought, his face no doubt giving away how confused he was.

“Forget about that tiny row boat! I got you covered.” The Beta said leaning forward to press a button under his side of the table. Suddenly, with a soft click, the top of the table split in half. Rising out of the table had to a scaled model of a submarine. Either that or a priceless toy and Mr. Parrish was really into collectibles. It wasn’t a normal looking submarine, but one that was obviously designed to look like that of a whale. Stiles didn’t know what the scale was, but at any rate, the real thing had to be massive. And expensive. Stiles slowly got out of his chair so he could walk around the small table to admire the sub.

“Do you like it?” Parrish asked with what could only be interpreted as concern. Parrish hadn’t known the boy too long, but silence seemed to be out of the norm even when he was a kid.

Stiles must have lost track of time. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been quiet, but he was just so fascinated with the mode. It was truly beautiful. He envied the people who were going to be a part of whatever the machine was going to be a part of. “Yes. It really is remarkable!” he responded breathlessly.

“Good. Because it’s yours. I want you to be traveling in style! I’ve already arranged it all, you don’t have to worry about a thing!”

Stiles’ head snapped up so quickly he was sure he pulled a muscle.

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure I heard you correctly. For a second there, I could have sworn that you said that the ship was mine. I’m assuming you mean the real thing and not the model. Not that there’s anything wrong with the model.” The Omega chuckled nervously. “Honestly I’d much rather have the model since the real one has to be insanely expensive not to mention massive. Not to imply that you can’t afford it, in fact, I know you can. I’m saying I’m not sure I’m comfortable having all that money spent on me.” He had to force himself to stop talking, he knew he was rambling. He just couldn’t help it. He was just so surprised and was having a hard time accepting that someone was willing to spend and unknown amount of money on him, and a virtual stranger at that!

The Beta grinned at his rant. “That’s right! And it was worth every penny.”

'What?! It was already finished?' The young Omega’s thoughts flew to how Kate had all but told him how her employer wasn’t one to go by the book.

“But why me?” Stiles questioned.

“Why not? Your grandfather used to go on and on about Atlantis and no one believed him. Never the less he kept insisting on its exsistance, so I told him if he could find that ridiculous journal, I would finance the whole expedition. Sadly, he never saw that day. And since I’m never one to not keep promises, and you’re just as passionate, I’m sending you.” Parrish answered nonchalantly, like it was an everyday thing to spend an indeterminate amount of money on someone you hardly know.  

“Okay, pretending that I even understood any of that, I’ll have to put a team together.” The Omega’s mind was moving a mile a minute, trying to put everything together, choosing not to notice how he didn't need to be persuaded.

“Already done! I want you to take the same team that I sent to Iceland to recover the journal.” the Beta responded pulling out a manila folder seemingly from thin air. Leaning forward, he spread open the file before Stiles to examine.

Inside were pages upon pages of what could only be extensive profiles on six people from various backgrounds from demolitionists and mechanics to doctors. Stiles was stopped from his inquiry when Parrish told him that the team was missing only one thing.

“What could that be?

“We need someone who’s fluent in gibberish, someone who’s able to translate that journal.” The old man said, implication clear in his tone. “So, it’s time to decide Mr. Stilinski, you could go back to your so-called office and be the Omega everyone wants you to be, or… you can finish what your grandfather started and go off on an adventure of a lifetime, possibly finding yourself in the process.

“Mr. Parrish, you have no idea how much I would love to do that, but what you are proposing is going to take time and lots of planning. Like I would have to break my lease at my apar-” Stiles started.

“Already taken care of”

‘Huh, guess I don’t have to worry about that noise complaint anymore.” He thought absentmindedly. “My job at the Museum?” He questioned.

“You quit this afternoon, right after that fiasco.” The old man said quite smugly.

“Well, I still have to pack. Plus, I’d have to get some books from my place. Well my old place?” Stiles really didn’t know what to call it anymore. It had been his home for three years, he really didn’t know how he felt about it being let go so coldheartedly.

“I’ve hired movers to pack everything non-essential. I trust you can pack whatever you deem necessary in a timely manner.”

“And my dog?” he asked panicked. If they sold Thor, he would have a bitch fit!

Suddenly a black Labrador, bounded into the room from an unknown location, jumping into his lap licking at his face. Stiles was never so happy to see Thor, he was like a breath of fresh air amidst all the crazy. He had this unusual bond with Thor, since the dog had come into his life when he needed it the most. Stiles loved that dog with all his heart.

“Unfortunately, Thor will not be able to go with you as this adventure contains unknown variables, I just had a feeling that you would want to say goodbye. Well that and we had no idea who you wanted us to give him to for safe keeping while you were out.” Mr. Parrish said this with the saddest tone in his voice, which only got worse when he noticed the slump that had set in the Omegas shoulders when he heard the news.

“I know you’re right, I knew there was no way he could come, but I guess I never even thought about what that really meant.” Stiles sighed. “Leave him with Greenberg. He’s a nice enough fellow, just seriously misunderstood. We’ve been friends for a few years, he’ll watch Thor for me.” He finished, felling his eye start to burn. His only comfort was knowing that he was going to prove his grandfather right, and when he was done, he would finally be reunited with his beloved dog once more.

“With that finished, what do you say Stiles Stilinski? Are you the man were looking for?” Parrish asked him seriously.

Hit with a second wave of excitement, Stiles abruptly stood, dislodging Thor’s head from his resting place in his lap. “I’m your man, I won’t let you down! I’ll find Atlantis, I promise!” he declared.

“Fantastic! Kate will give you details on your way out.” Mr. Parrish said with a grin. “I look forward to seeing the results Mr. Stilinski. I’ll see you when you get back.”

“You’re not coming with?” Stiles asked.

“Oh no, dear boy! I’ve had enough exploration for ten lifetimes, your grandfather made sure of that. Don’t worry, you’re in more than capable hands.” The old man replied. “Now go home and get some rest, you’ll need plenty of it, and I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said in farewell.

Stiles waved as he and Thor made their way back the way they had come. The elevator ride was much more pleasant, the smell of his excitement filling the space. Arriving on the ground floor, he stepped into the lobby, spotting Kate easily enough since she was the only person there, obviously waiting for him.

“Did you find the answers you were looking for?” she asked with a grin which fell slightly when she spotted Thor, who was growling lowly beside him. Huh, that was weird, Thor is normally alright around everyone. Thor hasn’t had an issue with others since Stiles took him in, maybe he was just overwhelmed by so many different places in one day.

“Yes, I did! Mr. Parrish told me that you would have some information for me?”

“Yes, I'll tell you in the car, let’s go, from the looks of it, you’ll be needing your sleep.” Her grin appeared once again as she turned and headed for the car.

The ride back was fast, mostly because Stiles was just too excited for this expedition. So many outcomes whirled through his mind. ‘What would he find? Would there be living species? What language would they speak?’ his mind conjuring questions at the drop of a hat. Suddenly they were in front of his building.

"Here are the details that you need, I will be here tomorrow at eight AM sharp. Be out front with your bags. Pack lightly, as you will be responsible for your own belongings." Kate said in an I-don’t-give-a-crap way passing him a manila envelope. Grabbing the envelope, he said his farewells as he climbed out of the car, waiting for Thor to exit before closing the door.

He made his way up to his floor with a much clearer head, forcing himself to wait to open the packet until he was back in his apartment. Fishing his keys out of his pocket, he opened the door and stepped into his apartment. Taking less care than he did earlier today, he removed his shoes, not bothering to untie the laces, rather just toeing the back of the shoe to force his foot out. Once again, placing his personal effects on the table before walking to his dining room table. He decided to sit, taking a moment to relax. Thor quickly trotted over to place his head once more in his lap, as if he had a feeling they were going to be separated soon. Scratching distractedly behind Thor’s ears, he opened the envelope.

Inside the packet was one letter, which simply read.

_Mr. Stilinski, please be ready for pickup at 8:00 AM on July 14 th 2016\. All other arrangements will be taken care of. _

_Best wishes, Mr. Parrish_

‘That’s extremely cryptic, and a complete waste of paper’ he thought rising out from the chair. Making his way through the living room, he made his way towards his room debating to take a shower that night, or early in the morning.

He decided to shower that night remembering his bloody face and knowing that he was going to need every minute possible in the morning. He stripped down and made his way towards the bathroom after grabbing a change of boxers. Looking into the mirror, he noticed that most of the blood  from his cuts had been washed away from the rain. 'Glad I looked somewhat presentable.' he thought before turning on the shower and stepping under the spray.  There, he debated whether to have some Stiles Time, but ultimately decided against it, not wanting everyone else to be able to smell it tomorrow morning. Especially Kate, something about her really gave him the creeps.

Finally clean, he made his way to his bed. There he pulled back the sheets, set an alarm, and climbed in, Thor laying down on the floor on his side of the bed, giving his notorious sad eyes, practically begging Stiles to let him sleep in the bed. Stiles choose to ignore him, not wanting Thor to get into a bad habit. But after 30 minutes of struggling to sleep, he finally caved and called the dog. Who was quickly jumping excitedly on the bed and all but laying on top of his owner. Stiles protested at first, but Thor refused to move. With a deep sigh, the Omega conceded, somehow more at ease. After that he had no problem falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and please feel free to leave kudos, comments or even something that you'd like to see them do. I am going to try my hardest and update as often as possible. See you guys soon! :)


	3. Departure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles struggles to say goodbye to his day to day life and manages to meet some really interesting characters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> So sorry to have disappeared on you! My laptop broke and me being the super smart person I am, didn't have backup files. So it took me a while to purchase a new computer and once I did, life got in the way. I don't have all the chapters I did before, but i wanted to upload this ASAP since it's been so long. 
> 
> As a side note, I did go back to the previous two chapters and edited a bit, nothing regarding plot lines or anything major like that, just making it flow a bit smoother. Promise! But if you like, feel free to re-read. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!!!

Stiles awoke the next morning to the sound of knocking at his door. Rolling over with a groan, he reached blindly for his phone, that forever lived on his nightstand. He squinted at the bright light, struggling to read the home screen. ‘6:00 AM’ With another groan, he dropped his head back onto his pillow as he wondered why he was up a half hour before he needed to be.

His reminder came once more from the insistent knock from his door. Making a frustrated noise, the Omega nudged Thor from his lap. And, if the sound he made was anything to go by, he was just as displeased as Stiles was about the early wake up call. When another knock on the door sounded, the young man decided to finally get a move on. He stopped briefly to throw on a pair of sweats and a shirt. Voicing yet another groan, Stiles made his way to the door, Thor hot on his heels. One last impatient knock sounded before he could answer trying his best to put on his friendliest face, even though he was up at the ass crack of dawn. Throwing the door open, he was greeted with the most unexpected sight.

Standing on his doorstep were two young men. Stiles took a quick glance at their name-tags: ‘Kyle’ and ‘Marc.’ They were wearing matching uniforms of cargo shorts and a forest green polo, but that’s where the similarities ended. Kyle was short and thin and his brown hair was styled into the same haircut of every high school skater boy ever. Marc on the other hand was tall and broad with a modest afro.

“Can I help you?” He questioned.

“Uh… We’re the movers, a Mr. Parrish hired us.” Kyle explained to him as if the boxes under his arm and the standard moving company’s uniform weren’t an indication. “He told us to be here at six to start the packing process.”

“This way.” Stiles said with a frown, walking back inside with a wave, silently showing them the way.  He wasn't surprised that they were there, he was just slightly miffed that they had interrupted his beauty sleep. It was safe to say the he wasn't a morning person. “You can start anywhere you’d like, except for the bedroom, I still need to get ready for the day.” He said almost sheepishly, not quite sure how comfortable he was showering with strangers in his apartment. Each of the movers nodded while heading to separate rooms. Marc to the kitchen and Kyle to the living room. Stiles was grateful that he’s managed to tidy his apartment the other day. Knowing that he wasn’t always the cleanliest person.

After a few minutes filled with awkward silence, while he unintentionally watched them work, the Omega cleared his throat and moved himself back to his room. Thor close behind him once again.

Stiles shut his bedroom door before he sat on his bed, thinking of all the life changes he was about to go through. About how he was leaving Thor to Greenburg of all people! How his beloved Roscoe would have to go into storage. How he was leaving a decent job, even though his bosses were assholes. It was going to be extremely difficult to find another well-paying job when he returned. He was torn from his thoughts when Thor started pacing by the bedroom door, whining quietly. Glancing at his phone for the second time that morning, he noted that it was now almost 6:45 AM, which meant it was about 15 minutes past Thor’s usual restroom time. He couldn’t believe he spent that much time trapped in his thoughts.

‘I trained you well,’ he thought as he pulled on his sneakers. Walking out of the room, he grabbed the canines leash.

“I’m just gonna take him outside really quick” he called to the movers awkwardly, as if he was asking for permission. Not quite sure why he said it, it was his apartment after all. With Thor finally on his leash, they headed out. Stiles decided to take the stairs, instead of waiting on the elevator since they were already behind schedule. Together, they made quick work of the stairs and Stiles ushered them through the lobby and out of the entrance.

As an ephemeral thought coursed through his mind, the Omega became sad. He had just realized that today would be his last day with Thor for the foreseeable future. He was only going through the motions now. His body was on autopilot as they reached their usual morning spot, while his mind had turned to the time when he had found Thor.

_It had been a few weeks after his grandfather had passed. Stiles was feeling more lost that usual, lost and lonely. He was never one to believe in Dynamic stereotypes, but his biology had eventually made itself known. Having an Alpha around helped to keep Omegas level, so that they didn’t harm or forget to take care of themselves. An Omegas’ need of an Alpha depended on the Omega. After he had moved out, Stiles had found he needed an Alphas’ presence rarely. He normally went to grandpa John’s place about once a week to level out and catch up. Sometimes twice if he if it was a rough one. Either way, it had been several weeks, and Stiles had completely stopped caring for himself._

_Ultimately, it was Kira who pulled him out of it, strangely enough. She had called him worried because of his absence from their weekly lunches. He tried to reassure her that it was only one lunch, his apathetic attitude quickly turning into shock when she told him that he’s missed three!_

_Stiles had promptly broken down, barely managing to hear Kira when she told him she was coming over and for him to text her his address. With the shock, still prevalent in his system, he managed to convince himself to at least shower and brush his teeth while he waited. Truthfully that was all he had the energy for, so he wrapped himself in a blanket on the couch after unlocking the door. Trying for some normalcy, Stiles had turned on the television, but after five minutes or so he tuned out unintentionally._

_He was snapped back into consciousness when there was a knock on his door. “It’s open!!” he called hoarsely from the couch. Kira was dressed in her usual short skirt and cute top combo as she strolled into the living room._

_“Oh honey!!” she cried when she spotted him. Kira was only a Beta, but Stiles hadn’t been in the presence of someone else in multiple weeks, so he was already starting to feel slightly better. She sat gingerly on the other end of the sofa with a worried expression on her face. “Are you hungry, I brought food.” She informed him._

_"I’m not really hungry…” he said in his weak unused voice. “But I’ll eat whatever you brought.” He acquiesced when he saw her disapproving look._

_“Great! I’ll just heat up the food and then we can catch up. Just like we do at lunch.” She exclaimed. Stiles didn’t even try to stop her, knowing that even if he was healthy, he couldn’t make her do anything she didn’t want to do.  The food took about ten minutes to warm up, Kira talking animatedly the entire time. When the food was ready, Kira made him move to the dining table, saying that he’ll feel better with some normalcy._

_About halfway through the meal, she asked how he was holding up. The question caught him off guard since she had mainly stuck to talking about her events from the last few weeks. The question was asked with such affection, Stiles couldn’t stop himself from answering truthfully even if he wanted to. He then spent the next twenty minutes telling her about his decline. About how he felt so useless and unlike himself but couldn’t help it._

_She reminded him of his grandfathers’ values in a stern voice, almost as if she was angered that he hadn’t even put up a fight. She didn’t know John too well, but she knew how much Stiles has loved him. So, she asked him if he thought his current actions would make him proud. Stiles reeled back as if he was smacked. He suddenly felt so ashamed , quickly promising them both that he’d do better._

_“So, what are you gonna do? Are you going to start looking for another Alpha?” she asked politely._

_Stiles just shook his head, knowing that the only Alpha to replace Grandpa John would be the one he would spend the rest of his life with._

_“So, what then? A dog? OH!!! A therapy dog!! That would help since you don’t want another Alpha now.” Kira told him, practically vibrating at the thought of him owning a dog._

_"Eh… I’m not so sure. I could hardly take care of myself and that was when Gramps was alive.” He refuted. At the sad look on her face he said, “I’ll think of something. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be ok.” They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before he asked. “Do you think I still have a job?” moving the conversation onto lighter topics._

_“You do.” she stated confidently. Catching the befuddled look on his face, she elaborated. “Harris wanted to fire you after the first week, but I reminded him of that new law that past a few years back. The one that allowed a two-week grieving period for Omegas who lost their Alphas. That was two weeks ago and when you still didn’t show up after that, I told him that you had called in sick. That was four days ago.”_

_“You… are a goddess among men!” Stiles exclaimed when she finished. He was happy he didn’t have to look for another job. They talked for about another twenty minutes or so before Kira said she had to get back to work before Mr. Harris found out, so they said their farewells and Stiles promised he’d be back on Monday. Stiles spent the rest of the day cleaning his apartment, paying bills and being a proper adult. That night Stiles promised himself that he would be true to his word and get his life back on track._

_The next morning past quickly after Stiles had forced himself out of bed and showered. He noticed while he was making toast for his breakfast that he needed to buy new groceries, since most of the food he did have was expired. ‘Go figure’ he thought, resolving to eat, clean out the fridge, and then go shopping. An hour later Stiles threw on his shoes, grabbed the garbage and headed out the door._

_He had decided to walk, reasoning with himself that he needed the exercise and the sunlight. During the walk, he passed a pet shop. Normally, he wouldn’t have even noticed, but Kira’s words echoed in his head. Plus, there was the cutest puppy staring at him through the window, following him as much as possible within his cage, as he walked by. Amused, Stiles had walked back the way he’d come. Sure enough, the puppy followed. Intrigued, Stiles went inside. He never could resist dogs._

_Walking up to the case, he noticed how all the other pups were playing around him, giving him a wide berth. He stopped in front of the case, where the puppy sat staring into his eyes. He didn’t know how long he looked at the dog, but eventually an employee came up to him._

_'You don’t want that one.” she said in a matter-of-fact tone._

_“Why not? What’s wrong with him?” the Omega asked, slightly put off by the employee’s candor._

_"Nothing, other than the fact that he doesn’t play with the others. He just sits and stares.”_

_"I’ll take him.” the young man said. Not quite sure why, he just had a feeling that the puppy needed Stiles just as much as he needed the puppy._

_“Are you sure, sir?” the employee questioned. “I mean, even the other pups have given up trying to play with him and multiple people have returned him saying he was too different.”_

_“I’m positive, plus no matter what you say, I can tell you’re elated at the prospect of someone taking him off your hands.” Stiles said rather smugly._

_“This way sir” she responded, as a blush rose to her cheeks, turning quickly towards the checkout counter to hide her embarrassment._

_An hour and a mountain of paperwork later, he was walking out of the pet shop with everything Thor could ever need in one hand and with Thor in the other, who had refused to be put down and glared at anyone who dared to look at the pair._

_Stiles didn't noticed that he had failed to go grocery shopping until later that night._

_The first month was rough for them both, but eventually it became clear that they balanced each other out. Stiles’ Omega nature soothed Thor’s rather reserved nature and Thor’s Alpha personality helped to level him out. He’s not completely balanced, Thor was only a dog after all, but he was level enough to function day to day._

Stiles was brought out of his reverie when Thor licked his left hand, having finished his business. With a sigh, he led them back inside to begin his packing, wondering how he was going to live without Thor. Walking back into his apartment, he noticed there were other movers that had joined Marc and Kyle. Not really surprised, but he was astounded by how much they had managed to accomplish in his absence, making a mental note that he should pack quickly.

Stiles strolled into his room after giving the workers a quick head nod in acknowledgment, closing the door when Thor entered. Deciding to shower one last time, he mentally patted himself on the back for buying an apartment with a restroom attached to the master bedroom. Once in the shower, his thoughts once again turned to how much his life was changing, feeling his excitement rise at the prospect of proving Grandpa John right. Figuring he had enough contemplation for now, he quickly washed his hair and body with his ever-trusty unscented soap, not knowing when he’d be able to do so next. Stepping out of the shower he quickly toweled off, lotioned and then proceeded to his room, unashamed of his nakedness. He stood in front of his closet for a few minutes debating his outfit for the day, subconsciously knowing he was going to wear his usual. Sure enough, he grabbed his red and black checkered flannel, black skinny jeans, and his ‘stud muffin’ shirt, throwing it on quickly knowing he only had about 30 minutes before he was due downstairs, knowing he was a slow packer.

Grabbing his gym bag, he briefly wondered why he bought it in the first place since he never went to the gym. Setting the bag on his bed he decided not to get too fancy, determining to go for functionality instead of impression. Nabbing several pairs of black, blue, and navy skinny jeans from his dresser, he placed them next to the duffle bag , resolving to refold them before placing them inside. Walking back to his dresser, he snatched a few gray, white and sky-blue V-necks. Finishing his look with his favorite red and black hoodies. As well as his black and gray flannel. Once everything was folded and placed inside, he then went to his bookshelf to grab a few tomes that might be pivotal during the trip, placing them in a well-worn backpack. Next, he went to the bathroom to grab his toothbrush and toothpaste. As well as his unscented soap. He wracked his brain for everything, making sure that he had everything he needed. Which lead to him practically running to his armoire once more for his underwear and socks and a few other various items, sending up a silent prayer that they weren’t forgotten. Finally, everything was in his bags (having packed too much stuff to fit in only one bag) and he set them near the door, trying to find something to do in the ten minutes that he had.

He settled for packing Thor’s things then fussing with his hair, wanting to make a good first impression. Sure enough at 8 o’clock on the dot, his phone chimed with a new text from Kate. Probably pissed he wasn’t out front like instructed. Shooting a text back, letting her know he was on his way and asking about the rest of his things and his dog. Kate responded instantly letting him know that Greenburg was on his way up and to let the movers take care of everything else.

Slipping his phone into his back pocket, he took the luggage to the front door. He then kneeled near Thor, wanting to give him a proper goodbye. Thankful that the movers gave him some semblance of privacy. A few minutes later there was another knock at the door. Rising with a sniffle, he walked towards the door, refusing to acknowledge the sad notes in the air. As expected, Greenburg was on his doorstep with a sad smile, politely ignoring Stiles’ puffy eyes. The Omega gave him his greetings and a sad smile in return.

“Hey, he’s all set, he just needs his leash. You’ll have to be patient with him since he’s bound to be testy for the next few days. You’re like the only person he tolerates, so give him a few days to adjust before introducing him to other people. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Stiles instructed as he hooked Thor’s leash to his collar.

“Sure thing, I promise he's in good hands” Greenburg replied.

He nodded, walking back into the apartment he called, “wait there, I want to walk him down one last time.”

Once he had given Greenburg Thor’s luggage, he put on his shoes and he grabbed his wallet, duffle bag and backpack, opting to leave his keys on the table, knowing he won’t need them anymore.

With a sad tone, he grabbed Thor’s leash, “let’s go” he said, walking out the door for the last time, not bothering to look behind, knowing Greenburg was following him. Greenburg stayed silent, almost as if he knew the Omega and his dog needed the time together. The elevator ride was uneventful, and Stiles knew he was giving off weird chemo-signals with his scent giving away his sadness but there was also a slight floral undertone giving away his excitement for the unknown.

Outside, his ride was easily spotted with Kate leaning on the side of the car. Briefly Stiles had another feeling of uneasiness, but he brushed it aside quickly.

“All set?” the Alpha called.

“Yeah, one more second, I want to say goodbye one last time.” He responded turning towards Thor.

“Be good, I will return when I can” he told his dog, as he bent on one knee to hug him

The Black Lab responded by licking the tears from his face that he didn’t even know had fallen. Turning he gave a grateful smile to Greenburg.

“Thank you again, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Don’t mention it, I promise he’s in good hands.”

With one last smile, Greenburg took the leash from Stiles and then him and Thor headed down the block towards his car. Stiles watched them drive away before he turned back to Kate, wiping away his tears unashamed.

“Okay, I’m ready.” He said picking up his bags and throwing them in the back seat before climbing into the passenger seat. Kate silently moved into position behind the wheel.

“It’s just a dog. No need to get all weepy.” She said before adding “Just think of why, might make things a bit easier.” when she caught his outraged face. That was the only thing said before they pulled into traffic.

“Strap in kid, we’ve got quite the journey.” Kate told him as they were passing the ‘Thanks for visiting Beacon Hills’ sign after ten minutes of tense silence had passed.

Stiles didn’t bother to respond, still irritated at her comment towards Thor, he just simply twisted around to grab his headphones from his bag. Opting to just listen to music and play games on his phone till they arrive. 

A little over an hour later the car came to a stop. At the sound of Kate shifting the car into park, Stiles glanced up from his game of Minecraft to inspect his surroundings. They were idling in front of a huge security gate. Confused, Stiles opened his mouth to ask several questions, but before he could voice them, Kate began to roll down her window.

“Tickets please” said the burly man in the security booth that Stiles hadn’t noticed. Kate wordlessly handed them over with a smile Stiles didn’t know she was capable of. The guard took a few minutes to check their clearance, scanning separate pieces of paper. When he finished, he wordlessly handed them back to Kate after pressing a button that jerked the gate into motion. Once the gate was open far enough, Kate shifted the car into drive once more before pulling forward.

“Are you going to tell me where we are?” Stiles asked glancing around.

Kate was quiet for a minute, seeming to focus on where she was driving before responding. “We’re at Sacramento International Airport” she finally said as they pulled up right next to the stairs to what could only be a private jet.

“Cool!! I’ve never been on a plane before, and now I’m going to be in a private jet?! Awesome!” he was practically vibrating with excitement, his previous irritation long forgotten. Kate just rolled her eyes at him before popping the trunk and exiting the car. Stiles was quick to follow suit, refusing to let her attitude ruin the moment. He didn’t bother to wait for her, he grabbed his bags from the back and all but ran up the plane stairs. He was forced to slow down about half way up when he tripped over his own feet and almost fell over the side. Once inside, the Omega came face to face with a man in a suit, who began speaking to him before he had a chance to ask who he was.

“Can I take your bags sir?” he asked. The stranger didn’t wait for answer, he simply grabbed the bag from his hand before manhandling him out of his backpack, leaving him standing next to the entrance.

“Uh…Where are we going?” he said inquired towards the flight attendant trying to recover from the awkwardness.

“We’re meeting up with the rest of the crew, so just relax and stop asking questions” Kate answered him, seeming to appear out of nowhere. She never even glanced at him while she answered, just simply handed her bag to the unnamed flight attendant before heading towards her seat.

Stiles was starting to get really irritated with her attitude, since it seemed she was making it her life’s mission to ruin his first flying experience, so he simply slumped back into one of the most comfortable chairs he had ever sat on. He just pulled out his phone, put on his headphones and tuned everyone out. He didn’t even bother to listen to the flight attendant as he went over the safety information before takeoff.

About an hour later, his phone informed him that it was now on low battery, so Stiles unbuckled himself, figuring it was safe to move around since he had seen Kate get up not ten minutes ago. The Omega headed towards the back of the plane, where there were three doors. Taking a guess, Stiles opened the first door on his right, which happened to be a bathroom. The second door that he opened seemed to be a storage closet containing various cleaning agents, as well as extra towels. “Where did our bags go?” he called out, as he opened the last door. “Never mind! I found them!” He was standing in the doorway to the on-board suite.

The suite was nothing too fancy, having just enough opulence to appeal to the richer crowd while staying within whatever budget they had set. Both of his bags were sitting on the California King bed next to Kate's luggage. Right as he was grabbing his phone charger out of his duffel bag, Kate sauntered into the room unseen by the Omega. “The pilot wanted me to inform you that we will begin our decent in about ten minutes.” She said, causing Stiles to jump into the air, dropping his phone charger onto the floor. The Alpha didn’t wait for his reply, she just turned on her heel and left.

‘Guess I won’t be needing this now.’ he muttered, tossing the charger back into the bag. ‘I’ll just charge it in the car.’ He thought sullenly, walking out of the suite.  He made his way back to his seat, stopping at the bathroom on the way, hoping to waste some time. Sure enough, five minutes later, Stiles was sitting in his seat, when the pilot came over the intercom announcing the official landing.

Twenty minutes later the Omega was descending the plane stairs, bags in hand, while looking around for some clues as to where they were. Concluding that there was nothing other than tarmac as clues, he settled for placing his bags in the trunk of the car, barely remembering to grab his phone charger.  Not knowing anything that was going on, or where they were headed, Stiles slipped into the passenger seat of another black Mercedes and plugged in his charger.

Kate eventually arrived and started the car. The sound of his phone indicating its charging, she looked over and said “Why did you even bring that? You cannot possible hope to keep that charged and functional the whole trip.” Nodding towards his phone and its respective charger.

Stiles just looked at her like she was stupid. “I have ADHD remember? I figured this would be better for everyone involved. That way I can keep myself occupied for as long as possible.” Kate just grunted, as if she was reluctant to admit that he had a point. He didn't care that his phone would become obsolete once the journey began, he was as attached to his phone as much as the next person, so he was going to use it until he couldn't.  “Where are we anyways?”

“Los Angeles”

“Ok… and why did we fly to a location in the same state?” Stiles asked, trying to take it all in stride.

“Because Santa Monica doesn’t have its own airport.” Kate responded in a way that implied that he should have known this.

“Is that the destination?” he asked, growing tired of having to pull answers out of her.

“No, Santa Monica is just another stop before we meet up with the others. The last one in fact.” The Alpha responded, sounding just as irritated as he feels about all the questions.

“I’m hungry, let’s stop at McDonald’s, I didn’t have a chance to eat this morning.” The young man said in way of effectively ending the conversation. Kate simply rolled her eyes before shifting the vehicle into gear.

The 40-minute ride to Santa Monica was uneventful. They only stopped for McDonald’s, and that was only because Stiles became unbearably hangry and demanded food. Stiles just spent time fiddling with the radio or playing various games on his phone, choosing to completely ignore Kate. He decided to pipe up when he noticed that they have just driven through the business district and were still driving.

“Uh… Shouldn’t we be stopping now?”

“I don’t recall asking for a backseat driver.” Kate snapped. 

Stiles didn’t say anything else, he did however grind his teeth and glare at her furiously. They spent the next ten minutes in complete silence, before they pulled into Santa Monica Yacht Harbor. They didn’t have to worry about parking since they were there early in the morning and the forecast for the day predicted clouds.

They were grabbing their belonging from the trunk when Kate said, “We’ve got quite a walk ahead of us, so keep up. We’re behind schedule due to the stop at McDonald’s.” before heading towards the beach. They spent a half hour walking down the beach, away from all the splendor and laughter. Stiles becoming more and more irritated with himself as he struggled to keep up with Kate's pace.

Just when Stiles thought he couldn’t walk any longer, he spotted a young male standing on a dock. “All ready to go, Miss Argent.” He said when they came within range.

“Thanks Miguel.” She said while stepping into the boat. “Are you coming, Mr. Stilinski?”

Her question shocked him out of his admiration of the most beautiful speedboat he had ever seen. Granted, he has never seen other speedboats, but he was sure if he had, they would all be sub-par to this one. “Yeah!” he shouted, practically flying into the boat. Miguel seemed highly amused with his antics, Kate on the other hand simply ignored him in favor of starting the boat. “I’ve never been on a boat before.” He offered.

“Oh! Then you’re in for a treat!” Miguel exclaimed.

That was the biggest lie to ever been said. Not five minutes into the boat ride, Stiles found that he easily gets seasick. Not the ‘I’m sort of queasy kind” it’s more like ‘I’m not going to see the outside of this bag until the boat comes to a complete stop’ kind of queasy.

“Oh God! If you can’t handle this boat, what are you going to do when you get on the submarine?” Kate exclaimed. The question may or may not have been rhetorical, but with Stiles in his current state, he was sure as hell going to treat it that way!

The boat ride seemed to last forever, when in reality, it was no more than 40 minutes. Either way, Stiles was elated to finally be on land once again. Stiles didn’t know how long he was sitting on the beach for with his head between his knees, but eventually someone placed their hand on his shoulder. Looking up, Stiles found Mr. Parrish kneeling next to him, holding a few pills and a water bottle out to him. Stiles looked at the pills wearily. “Relax. It’s just Dramamine. It will help with the nausea.” The old man said with a smile.

Stiles took the pills and waited for them to kick in.

“Unfortunately, we can’t waste any more time, we really are behind schedule.” Mr. Parrish told him a few minutes later. The Omega was feeling slightly better, but still allowed the old man to help him to his feet. Looking around, the young man noticed that they were on an island with nothing but the sea to his left, a wall of vegetation to his right, and two ATV’s straight ahead. “I apologize in advance, this probably won’t help your motion sickness.” Stiles paled, but nodded regardless.

Once everyone was seated respectively, Kate and Miguel on one and Mr. Parish and Stiles on the other, they headed out, dirt flying behind them. Within seconds they were in the jungle, the trees flying past their heads. Stiles feared getting slapped by a branch, but luckily from what he sees, they are staying on a pathway. The road wasn’t well-worn, but assuming its frequent use, it was well on its way there. Eventually, he closed his eyes, partially out of fear and to help combat his motion sickness; which wasn’t getting better or worse. The Omega had no idea if that was due to the medicine Mr. Parrish had given him, or if the ATV simply didn’t affect him.

Roughly five minutes later, Stiles felt them come to a complete stop. Risking more illness, he peaked one eye open, and he couldn’t help it when his jaw fell open. He was incapable of anything else other than staring.

Located in front of him was a colossal building. The building was roughly 250 meters long and 25 meters tall, made from what appeared to be sand colored quartz. No matter which part of the walls Stiles looked at, they were covered with vines and other kinds of vegetation, growing upwards towards the sky, making the Omega wonder how long the building had been there. There were a few windows, but they were placed sporadically, almost as if they were installed as an after thought. All in all, the structure should look out of place with its sheer size and modern materials, but surprisingly, it fit in with its surrounding.

“Didn’t you hear Mr. Parrish?! We’re behind schedule. Keep up!” Kate’s voice snapped him out of his admiration. Only then did he realize that everyone else had already dismounted and were walking towards the only door in sight. With a surprised squeak, Stiles went to catch up. He fell even more behind when his foot got caught under the handlebars. Resulting with him face planning on the jungle floor and his body in a weird twist as his foot was still caught. Stiles groaned in pain, before he began the process of extracting himself. Dusting himself off, he glanced at the others, flushing all the way to his chest. He dismissed his embarrassment by clearing his throat as he turned to grab his bags. When he rejoined the group, he did what he does best, and pretended nothing had happened. Good thing too, since Mr. Parrish simply turned and began walking towards the door once more.

The second Stiles walked inside, he was instantly blinded. The dimly lit interior was such a stark contrast from outside that he was forced to stop right in the doorway, electing to wait patiently while his eyes struggled to adjust. He was suddenly knocked to the floor when Kate roughly pushed passed him, seemingly not bothered by the change in brightness, not even stopping to apologize. He had barely managed to open his mouth before she called over her shoulder, “Keep it moving Omega, we are too far behind schedule for you to just stand there.” Stiles muttered a few choice words under his breath before picking himself off the floor. It only took him a couple of seconds to get up and dust off his pants, but when he looked up, the other members of his group had disappeared. He threw his hands in the air, exasperated, before taking the time to glance around for his companions and finally managed to take in his surroundings.

The building was massive. It looked huge on the outside, but the inside was a somehow even bigger. It was just one colossal room, apart from the left side of the building, which was separated into two stories. The Omega assumed that’s where the offices were. He just couldn’t believe it, he was completely mesmerized by it all, walking dazedly throughout the stacks of crates. There were just so many people running around trying to finish everything before casting off. And right smack dab in the middle was the actual submarine. The scale model had _NOTHING_ on the real one. The thing was enormous! He had a random thought about how they were going to get it out and into the water, but his fascination of the vessel quickly drowned the thought. Stiles was walking absentmindedly, too busy examining the ship to pay much attention to where he was walking. As expected, he walked right into a barrel, barely stopping it from tipping over, but unable to stop some of the liquid from inside from sloshing out.

“Watch it idiot! Are you trying to get us all killed before we even begin?!” growled a voice behind him.

Behind him, standing next to an open crate, holding multiple sticks of dynamite, was a tall thin man. He was beautiful: face with strong cheekbones, luscious blond hair, and a body of an Abercrombie model. And judging by the sneer on his face, he knew it too.

“You’re worried about me killing us for almost spilling some water? Especially when you’re holding dynamite? You’re kidding, right?!

“That’s NITROGLYCERIN!” the stranger yelled in his face.

Stiles took a quick step back away from the barrel, more out of surprise than fear, absentmindedly wiping his hands on his pants. His backpack nearly knocking over another barrel in his haste.

‘Geez, someone with such a temper, _HAS_ to be an Alpha.’ He thought before taking a deep breath. Sorting through the plethora of smells in the warehouse, he found that the man was shockingly, a Beta.

“Who are you anyways?” Stiles questioned.

“Don’t worry about who I am, worry about yourself Omega.”  The stranger replied, glaring at him as if he had made a ridiculous request instead of  simply asking who he was.

“Now Jackson, don’t scare the poor guy.” Came a voice to his right. Standing there had to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was average height and slightly curvy. Her hair looked blonde at first glance, but as she tossed a wayward curl from her shoulder, Stiles noticed it was more strawberry blonde in color. She was dressed in baby blue off the shoulder romper, paired with simple black heels. “He’s just mad because I had coffee with Aiden yesterday.” 

At the mention of Aiden, Jackson’s face turned bright red before he stomped of in anger, sticks of dynamite moving through the air in his hands as he muttered to himself. She stifled a laugh behind her hand as she watched him walk away. All while Stiles stood there too stunned to be confused as he watched the whole thing unfold.

"It was only a catch-up coffee, Aiden’s with someone new from his job. I only said it that way to make him mad since he was a complete asshole to me last week.”, his rescuer whispered once Jackson had turned the corner, leaning into his personal space as if they were close friends. Her Chanel perfume secluding him in a thick cloud, making it hard for him to breath. She took a step back, giving him a chance to breathe once more, and stuck her hand out. “I’m Lydia, it’s nice to finally meet you Stiles. I’m really looking forward to working with you, from what I read, you’re just about the only person who has the potential to give me a run for my money”

“Uh… I’m sorry, I’m not quite sure I know who you are…” he responded, taking her hand.

She just gave him a knowing smile as she finally released his hand. “This way, I’ll show you to your cabin.” she said before turning on her no doubt expensive heels and walking away, as if she didn’t care if he followed or not. He did of course, having no idea where he was going, especially since his previous companions had abandoned him. He trailed behind her silently, giving him just enough space to breath easily while simultaneously being polite. Now that he could breathe, he could smell her Dynamic. Unsurprisingly, she was an Alpha. She had a way about her that made it seem like she was used to getting her way.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Stiles quietly taking in all the commotion around him; from all the workers moving cargo to engineers making sure everything was in working order for departure. Stiles found out firsthand how truly large the warehouse was. They had walked at a leisurely pace for five minutes and they were only about a quarter of the way in. Stiles found himself fidgeting more and more the longer they walked in silence. He mentally berated himself once again for failing to take his Adderall. ‘Better get used to functioning without it, since there’s no time to run back.’ He thought.

Seven minutes in Stiles couldn’t take it anymore. “So… what brought you to this expedition?” he asked Lydia aloud, while simultaneously patting himself on the back for making it longer than five minutes.

“Most people think it’s because me and Jackson are on again, off again, but I had some extra time the last few years and decided to get a degree in Anthropology. But I did use Jackson's connections to get me assigned specifically to this expedition, I’ve always had a feeling that I would be apart of something big." she replied as she began walking up a ramp to the side of the craft. "And what’s bigger than rediscovering a lost civilization?” She finished, coming to a stop in front of a door. The door blended into the side of the submarine so well, that if there wasn't a ramp signaling its location, he would have walked passed it entirely. “This way.” She said pulling open the door and gesturing for him to walk inside.

The Omega entered wordlessly. He was blown away, Lydia was incredibly intelligent and driven. And she thinks that HE could give HER a run for her money? He always thought he was smart, but who went got a degree in a field they didn’t really care about, just because they had extra time?

“So, if it was just because you had some extra time, what was your initial degree?” he asked, adjusting his backpack for what he thought was the thousandth time. Stiles had a feeling that there was more to her than she seemed. Suddenly her Alpha Dynamic was even more unsurprising.

“Theoretical mathematics.” she said, as if it wasn’t that big of a deal. But the way that her back seemed to straighten and her head lifted ever so slightly, suggested that there was more to it than that.

They walked down the small corridor silently, the air filled with tension. Which worsened when Lydia suddenly stopped outside a doorway with what seemed to be the worlds fakest smile. Her smile served to remind him of the times after his grandfather had passed and he didn’t want to worry his coworkers.  “This is your cabin, you’ll be sharing with a few other people, you’ll meet them shortly.” She informed him, staying by the door as Stiles walked inside setting his two bags on the floor next to one of the two bunk beds, before sitting down.

 “Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories. I was just curious.” The Omega told her. Sitting down on the bottom bunk. He felt terrible having destroyed her pleasant mood.

With a sigh, she moved to sit next to him. “Thank you, Stiles. Sometimes it’s hard to shed my past.”

The young man nodded. “I know the feeling.” They sat in companionable silence, each going through their own reveries. Eventually Stiles said, “I know I don’t know you that well, and I don’t know what happened to you, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

She gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks. I can tell, were going to be great friends” she said, patting him on the knee. “Well, I would love to stay and chat, but I have a few other things that need to be taken care of on the deck before we cast off.” she finished, rising from the bed gracefully. Giving him one last smile before leaving him there alone, her Chanel perfume the only evidence she had ever been there.

Stiles sat alone for a few minutes before deciding to unpack and look around. Just like the two sets of bunk beds, there was a set of armoires. One had two drawers that were empty, Stiles figured they were meant for him. The rest of the cabin was sub par, having plain white walls that held smudges from unknown origins, and a single sealed window across from the door. The Omega spent ten minutes meticulously placing his clothes in the drawers, occasionally refolding the misshapen articles. Once finished, he looked for a place to keep his tomes and a framed photo of his grandfather and him together.  He noticed that only half of the top of the armoire was occupied. He slipped off his backpack to unzip it, using his knee as a support. He handled each book with reverential care, knowing how valuable each of them were.

Placing the last tome, his gaze curiously shifted to the other items on the surface. There were different crystals of various shapes and colors as well as books on topics he had never even heard of. There was even a matching mortar and pestle. ‘who even used those these days?’ he thought as he picked it up, looking at it curiously. After a few seconds of inspection, he set it down, declaring it nothing special. He then moved on to the various crystals that were laid out. He picked up a large clear gemstone that encased a strange purple flower with eight sides and was sharpened to a point on both ends, turning it in his hands, examining it every way possible.

“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you” came a deep, monotone voice behind him.

Stiles spun around with a gasp, wincing when he heard the crystal clattering on the armoire, his scent coloring with his embarrassment. He sent up a silent prayer that the gem didn’t chip, or worse: break.

“S- sorry dude, I didn’t mean to impose or anything, my curiosity just gets the better of me most of the time.” He stammered in way of an apology, getting an eyeful of the newcomer. Standing in the doorway was a tall bald man with sepia colored skin. He was dressed in a button-down dress shirt and slacks, his face impassive, as if he was unimpressed by the entire situation. His eyes however, seemed to sparkle with hidden secrets.

“That is perfectly fine, Mr. Stilinski. I just ask that you do not touch that of which is not yours. You have no idea of the powers you play with.” The stranger told him cryptically, face still expressionless, voice consistently holding no inflection.

‘How does he know my name?’ Stiles thought before asking him who he was. “I’m sorry have we met before?"

“We have met in a past lifetime and we will meet again in another, Mr. Stilinski.” the man supplied. Face muscles never moving an inch, eyes now hinting at his hidden amusement.  

They lapsed into an awkward silence for a few minutes, the stranger never moving an inch, while his eyes never leaving the Omegas face. All while Stiles’ brain was moving a thousand miles a second. ‘what the hell does that mean?!’ Is he always so cryptic? Why can’t I smell his Dynamic? What did he mean by powers?’ He made a mental note to ask Lydia if she knew anything about this stranger.

‘Crap! How could I be so rude?! I should ask him his name.’ The Omega thought.

“Deaton, stop scaring the man!” a voice said, before he could open his mouth. That seemed to be a common theme today, Stiles mussed.

Stiles heard the voice before he saw the owner. Seconds later, a young man around Stiles’ age came barreling through the still open door to the cabin. He was wearing dark wash jeans paired with a light blue button up. His face had childlike qualities, holding large doe eyes that Stiles assumed that if he made the right face, he could make anyone do anything.

‘Hopefully, he uses those powers for good.’ was Stiles’ wayward thought as he took in the rest of the gentleman. Everything about him screamed ‘kind’ and ‘innocent,’. Stiles had only known him for thirty seconds, but the Omega had a feeling like he would be more than willing to spill his dirtiest secrets to the stranger. But that was before he finally noticed that the newcomer was wearing a doctors’ lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck. He was instantly filled with dread, feeling the blood drain from his face. Ever since his parents, and then again with his grandfather, Stiles did his absolute best to avoid anything to do with hospitals, including checkups. He was basically going through life assuming that so long as his stomach wasn’t attempting to remove itself though his throat, he was in tip top shape.

“Ah. Mr. McCall, it is nice to see you again. Have you come for my physical?” Deaton asked, while managing to keep his face as neutral as possible. Stiles thought it had to be his version of a superpower.

“Nah, you’re still good to go from Iceland.” McCall said with a smile that has yet to leave his face. “I’m here to take Stiles to my clinic to give him a quick once over before we launch,” the young man finished, gesturing towards Stiles.

Stiles blanched. A physical?! There was no way he’d be able to get through this. He had to though, he wasn’t about to give his new crew members a reason to doubt him before they even left. Never the less he felt his throat begin to tighten, and his breaths were getting quicker. ‘Damn it!! Why can't I just be level? This would be a bit easier to handle’ the Omega thought quickly, struggling to fight off what he knew was an oncoming panic attack.

Stiles wasn’t sure how he ended up on the bed and for how long. All he knew was that McCall was now kneeling in front of him and his mouth was moving. Stiles couldn’t hear him, all he could hear was a high-pitched ringing, like in the movies after they throw a grenade. Stiles didn’t even try to focus on what McCall was saying, instead he decided to focus on breathing and wishing the bright spots that were swimming in his vision away. Stiles hasn’t had a panic attack in months but is seems like he had one just this morning. He hates the feeling of dread and helplessness he feels during an attack. Thor was always good about helping him through this, always laying his head in his lap and rumbling softly allowing him to ground himself from the vibrations.

“That’s it,... just breathe. Match yours to mine.” The voice was far away but he heard it, so that was progress.

The Omega slowly came to. The first thing he noticed was that his right hand was pressed against McCall’s chest right over his heart and his breathing was beginning to become relatively normal. Stiles tried to put missing pieces together, like how long he was out of it or how he got to the bed. Eventually he felt much better and when he realized his hand was still on the doctors’ chest, he quickly moved to the opposite side of the bed, managing to put a good five feet between them. With an embarrassed smile, he said, “Thanks Doc.”

“Call me Scott. I’m glad I could help, I haven’t seen someone have one that bad since I worked overseas.” he responded, getting up from the floor and sitting next to him with a soft sigh. As he sat down, Stiles was finally able to get a whiff of him and was pleasantly surprised to find that the doctor was a Beta. Seeing as most Omegas went into healthcare while Alphas went towards more aggressive professions like law enforcement or politics and Betas tended to land anywhere in between. The Omega was however stumped by the unusual smell that clung to Scott’s skin. 

“Are you feeling better?” Scott asked before he could think too much about it, forcing him to file it away to mull over later.  

“Yea, I’m ok. I’m used to them, since I used to get them all the time. Thanks for helping me.” The Omega responded, still slightly embarrassed despite Scott’s indifference to the entire situation.

“Ah man, that sucks! I had one once when I left home, it wasn’t fun.”

“I know the feeling, when my parents’ passed, anything and everything would set me off. My grandfather never quite knew how to help me, but he did the best he could.” Stiles wasn’t sure why he was sharing so much information with Scott since he was essentially a stranger, but there was just something about him that was easygoing and easy to befriend.

“That’s rough, buddy. If it would make things better we could do the check up in here, it really is quick and painless. I just need to listen to your heart and check your blood pressure. Then I just need to take a blood sample, then we’ll be all done!” Scott said, but when he saw Stiles was rapidly turning an unhealthy shade of pale again he quickly backtracked. “but you know we could always save that for last and go at your own pace.” He finished with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Before Stiles could respond, there was suddenly two people standing in the doorway. The first was a curvy blonde with bright red lipstick and tight black jeans and hiding half behind her was a young man around stiles’ and Scott’s age. He had bouncy curls atop of his head, and was dressed in a comfortable looking pair of jeans and a modest t-shirt but he managed to pair it with the most pretentious scarf that Stiles had ever seen.

“Scott!!! What did you do to the poor boy?! You didn’t tell him, did you?!” the blond practically screamed.

“Erica calm down. Of course, I didn’t tell him! I barely know him.” The Beta replied. Leaving Stiles curious, forcing him to file this interaction for later as well.  

“Then what the fuck happened?! Why did Deaton come down to the bridge saying that something was wrong with the linguist and that you were already there.”

“I just had a panic attack. I’m fine. I just have them sometimes.” Stiles interjected, slightly miffed, he hadn’t noticed that Deaton was no longer in the room. He still wasn’t sure what they were talking about, and to be honest he was extremely curious, but he knew better than to ask in a group setting. He had a feeling that him and Scott had the beginnings of a budding friendship, so asking a few questions wouldn’t seem out of the norm.

Erica ran to sit on the other side of him on the bed, having no regard for his personal space, practically sitting on top of him. “Oh, you poor thing!! Are you doing ok? I know it must take a lot out of you, I used to suffer from severe epilepsy. But that was before-”

Suddenly the young man in the doorway was abruptly having a coughing fit. It was so obvious to Stiles that he was just trying to interrupt whatever Erica was saying. His “coughing fit” ended just as quickly as it had started. The room was then filled with a tense, awkward silence. Stiles never did well with tense silences, so he rapidly racked his brain for something to say. Literally anything to say.

“Did you know that Bruce Wayne’s mom was the Joker in an alternate timeline?”

The silence he was met with what was now a bewildered silence, the tense atmosphere had evaporated but it seemed that no one knew what to say. Stiles looked around from Scott who was looking at him like he had grown two heads. Then he looked at the unnamed man in the doorway who was looking embarrassed for him so he quickly looked at Erica who was looking at him like he had hung the moon.

“You like Batman! I love Catwoman!!! This friendship was meant to be!!” she exclaimed. Her red painted lips stretched into the largest smile Stile had ever seen. Stiles was so happy to have found someone who potentially had the same love for comics as he did, but before he had the chance to carry on endlessly about the Marvel Comic Universe, the man in the doorway cleared his throat purposefully, once again interrupting the conversation.

“Jesus Isaac!! Do you have something in your throat?!” Erica snapped, seemingly to be just as irritated by this current disruption as he was.

“I’m sorry." he mumbled quietly, "But we came down here because Gerard requested Mr. Stilinski’s presence on the bridge.” He said sheepishly, somehow managing to shrink even further in on himself.

“Oh yea, totally I forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me.” Erica said in way of apologizing. She then turned to Scott and Stiles, the first looking like the previous scene was a common occurrence while the latter was looking stunned. Isaac was now displaying signs similar to that of a domestic abuse victim, but he wasn’t sure if it was his place to say anything especially since they had just met.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to do the check up after we launch.” Scott said with a forced smile as he stood up and headed towards the door. Following his example, Erica stood up and made her way towards the door as well.

“Come on Batman, I’ll show you the way.” She said.

Stiles was a little miffed that everyone seemed to be avoiding what just happened, but he stood up anyway. They all walked out the door and down the narrow corridor back the way Lydia had taken him. At the end of the hallway, they split up, Scott and Isaac going towards the left, while him and Erica went to the right.

“So, you really like comics then?” He asked Erica to fill the silence. Now that they were alone, it was easy to tell that she was a Beta, but just like Scott, she had an unknown underlying scent to her, though it was slightly different.

“Oh yea, I don’t know much about anyone except Catwoman, but I do love the movies.” She said.

“I can tell were going to be good friends.” The omega said as she pulled open a large metal door. Stepping inside, Stiles was blown away. It looked like a miniature NASA operations base. There were rows upon rows of computers with their operators sitting in front of them staring intently at their respective screens, doing whatever was instructed of them.

Right in the center of the operations base was a huge octagonal platform where Lydia sat in front of a sonar screen and a few other monitors with a pair of headphones on, vigorously scribbling something down onto the notebook in front of her. Kate, and one unidentified man on the other side of the platform were having a hushed conversation, which abruptly cut off once the man had spotted Stiles and Erica. He quickly waved them over with a large smile on his face, completely ignoring whatever Kate was saying. Much to her dismay.

It took a few minutes for them to reach the platform and then another few seconds for Erica to scan her badge to confirm her clearance before they reached the other two. Stiles nodded briefly at Lydia before turning his attention to the man before him.

“Let me introduce you to my father.” Kate said gesturing to the man next to her.

“The name’s Gerard. It’s so nice to finally meet you Mr. Stilinski, I’ve heard so much about you.” He said with his hand stretched out in way of greeting, stepping into Stiles’ personal space completely, ignoring Erica entirely.

Stiles took the outstretched hand shaking it politely. The hand shake was a bit longer than he was comfortable with, but stiles guessed it was an Alpha thing. He wasn’t surprised that Gerard was an Alpha, he was however surprised by the unnerved feeling that he got when their hands touched. It was worse than when he had first met Kate.

“Please… Call me Stiles, and the pleasure is all mine, Sir.” he said. “I am honored that you chose me to assist you on this expedition.”

“Well, Mr. Parrish adamantly vouched for you, saying that your skills were unmatched, so we are happy to have you.” Gerard replied with a tight smile.

They had lapsed into silence which quickly became uneasy, so Stiles glanced around, looking for Erica, but found her and Kate over by Lydia having a conversation, both gesturing towards the notebook in front of them, most likely going over last minute details. 

“So… what did you need to see me for?” the young man questioned.

“I just thought you’d like to see launch from the best possible spot, before debriefing the crew.” The Alpha said. “Are we ready for launch?” he continued looking over towards the women who were now doing their own thing on their respective phones, taking advantage of the last bit of cell reception for the time being.

“All systems ready Captain.” Lydia said, not even bothering to look up from her phone.

“Everyone stations! We launch in one minute!” Gerard shouted, his loud voice a complete contrast to his old and frail looking body.

Suddenly there was a flurry of activity of everyone moving to their proper places. Lydia pressed a sequence of buttons on the huge switch board on her right. The second she pressed the last one, there was a loud buzz from the speakers placed in the ceiling “ _LAUNCH SEQUENCE ACTIVATED. LAUNCHING IN 30 SECONDS.”_

Stiles stood there stunned, tensely waiting, as he quickly thought that maybe this was the wrong thing to do. Wishing he had stayed home and been the ‘good omega’ everyone expected him to be. 

"Better hold on tight!" Gerard shouted at him. Leaving Stiles to wonder why they weren't strapped into some sort of seating. 

_LAUNCH IN 3…2…1!_

Next thing Stiles knew, he was falling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked it!! I wasn't all that sure about it, since I drove myself crazy trying to recreate the same chapter I had before I lost the file. As always Kudos are appreciated as well as comments! The next chapter is almost finished, so keep a look out.  
> See you guys soon!


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